Ambika Sharma to judge MAA Globes 2009

The national head of Jagran Solutions, Ambika Sharma has been invited to join the international panel of judges for the 2009 edition of MAA Globes Awards. The awards recognise the best of Promotion Marketing Award programmes, organised by MAAW (Marketing Agencies Association Worldwide).

This is the second time that Sharma will be serving as a judge at the international awards. In addition, she also judged the Asian leg of the awards last year. Incidentally, Sharma was also recently appointed the zonal director for India for the PMAAs (Promotional Marketing Awards of Asia) -- MAA Globes' Asia leg.

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On being appointed for the second time in a row, Sharma says, "It feels great to be on the jury, since being on PMAA's jury only exposes you to campaigns limited to Asia. However, MAA Globes gives you an experience of the campaigns of other developed markets. You get to see how brands which are also present in India react globally, respond to ROI (return on investment), and what is the thought process that is employed by brands in countries outside Asia."

Apart from PMAA Dragons from Asia, the other programmes from around the world include AMPRO from Argentina, APMA from Australia and New Zealand, CAMPRO from Brazil, CAPMA from Canada, the Globes from Israel, Promotion Planning Awards from Japan, the Silver Mercury's from Russia, the Xaver Awards from Switzerland, the ISP Awards from the UK and the PMA Reggies Awards from the USA.

All the winners of these respective programmes compete with each other in 16 categories to win at the MAA Globes. The online judging for the awards will begin in mid-July and it is only after that the winners of the PMAA awards will be announced. The judging process takes around 20-30 days and the results are announced in an awards ceremony, which will be held in August.

Apart from the entries being judged against four parameters -- campaign strategy, the concept, execution and the results, the judges also have to look at the different market and communication scenarios prevailing in the region where the entry comes from. Sharma informs that each judge gets 20-25 campaigns to judge, while ensuring that none of the campaigns belong to the judge's homeland. Moreover, all the entries have to pass three different judges.

The judges are also expected to have adequate knowledge of all the markets, before they are invited to the jury. When asked on how she prepares herself to judge entries from other countries, Sharma says that apart from the basic knowledge that all professionals are required to possess in this globalised market, MAAW also organises two meets each year for all the members, and everybody is required to attend at least one. This is where the members get to meet and interact with senior people from the global communications industry.

In 2008, Solutions Digitas and OgilvyAction were the only two Indian agencies to have won at the MAA Globes. Solutions Digitas won a Globe, while OgilvyAction won a Silver Award. A total of 51 Globes, Silver and Bronze Awards, as well as Order of Merit Certificates in 16 categories, were given away last year. The Earth Hour Campaign from Leo Burnett Australia and the World Wildlife Fund Australia walked away with the top honours.